Method of protecting cellulosic materials



' rived from petrole Pneumonia. so, 1943.

; a 2,315,064 METHOD or momma cmunosro .m'rnams EM. a. Littmann, wmseu, a. 3., aeeignor a Standard Oil Development Company, a corporation of Delaware 1N0 Drawing. Application June Serial No. 391,937 17 Claims. (01. let-sac) This invention relates to an improvement in the method of protecting cellulosic' materials against deterioration by the treatment of such materials with protective compositions having a hydrocarbon oil base. I i

Oil base protective compositions are usually applied to cellulosic materials by spraying, brushing or by dippingthe article to be treated in the protective solution. Under these conditions it is desirable to secure the maximum rate 01 penetration and thus decrease the time of immersion or application of the solution. An in-- crease in the rate of penetration also reduces the draining time and. consequently decreases the time between the treatment and handling of the treated article.

Ithas been found, in accordance with the present invention,that the rate of penetration of oil base protective compositions can be materially increased by incorporating in such'compositions small amounts ofzinc naphthenate. The advantage in the use of zinc naphthenate in this manner is realized in the'treatment of all types of celluiosic material commonly treated with such protective agents, such as wood, jute, fabrics of all kinds, cordage manufactured from cotton, manila or sisal fibers. etc. Wooden articles-may be treated by brushing, spraying or by immersion in the protective solution withor without pressure. Cordage may be treated during the carding of the fiber or by immersing the finishedv cordage in the solution. Fabrics such as cotton age preferably treated after reaching the yarn s age.

The invention may be advantageously applied to all types of protective agents having ahydrocarbon oil base. It may be applied, for example, to waterproofing agents. such as solutions of points. Also suitable are creosote oils and oils of essentially aromatic character. such as solvent naphthas. v.

The quantity of the'pzinc naphthenate to be added to the oil base protective solution is:small,

and the amount used in a particular case is gov-'- erned by .the properties of the protective agent and the viscosity and surface tension of the oil solvent, but in general the preferred range of concentration of zinc naphthenate is from 0.1% to 10% by weight. based on the total solution.

a The following examples demonstrate the advantages to be obtained in adding zinc naphthenate to oil base protective solutions and are given by way of illustration only.-

Exsxru 1 Solutions of aluminum naphthenate and zinc naphthenate in a spindle oil having a viscosity of 42 seconds Saybolt at 210 F. were prepared in various concentrations according to the data aluminum naphthenate or aluminum oleate'or stearate combined with waxes. The invention may beapplied also to fumicldal agents. such as pentachlorphenol or copper naphthenate solutions, also to various insecticidal solutions. such as those of mercury naphthenate, dinitrophenoh beta-naphthanol, copper o1eate,"o'r il-chlomphenyl phenol,

The hydrocarbon 0113 which may be used as a base for the protective compositions of the present invention include all types of hydrocarbon oils, both aliphatic and aromatic. which have the desired viscosity and stability for use in the manner. described. In general. such olls as fuel oils, high flash namlzithasflhnd spindle oils del are preferred onaccount oi-tbelr low. toxicity and relatively high flash shown in Table 1. Solutions of aluminum naphthenate in this type of oil are known to be useful as water repellents for cellulosic materials. The rate of penetration of the various solutions containing different relativeamounts of zinc naphthenate and aluminum naphthenate was meas ured by placing upright a wooden dowel inch in diameter and 8 inches long with sanded ends in 10 cc. of solution contained in a 8 cm. crystaliizing dish and noting the time required for the solution to rise vertically against gravity to the top of the dowel. The results obtained by testing the various solutions in this'manner are indicated in the following table:

Table 1 Percent thrust. in

solution Pa e: Gib..-

' n will be as. from a. above table that the relative quantity of sins naphthenate in the solution may be varied over a wide range without adversely, ailecting the resultoi its addition.

- therein and about 0.1% to about'10% of Exam II A solution of pentachlo'rophenol in a fuel oil of about 35 seconds viscosity Saybolt at 100 F.- v

is useful as a wood preservative'and has a penetration time, as measured by the test described in Example Lot-a! seconds. When 1%. of zinc penetration time was drop of 23.4%.

Exurru III Solutions of copper naphthenate showing 1% to 3% of metallic copper by analysis are 'eilicient fungicides and insecticides. when zinc naphthenate is mixed with such solutions, the penetration time is reduced.' The eifect of varying the proportions .ofcopper and zinc, both in the form of naphthenates, in mineral spirits of 100 F. minimum flash point is shown in the following reduced to 36seconds, a

Theinventionis not to be considered as limited in scope by any of the. examples of its applicationwhich are described above and which are given as'illustrations only, but is to belimited .only by the terms of the'appended claims.

I claim:

, naphthenate was dissolved in such a solution the 1. The method of protecting a cellulosic material from deterioration which comprises treating the same with a composition comprising a hy- I drocarbon oil base, a protective agent-soluble therein and a small amount of a penetration assistant comprising zinc naphthenate.

2. The method of protecting a cellulosic material from deterioration which comprises treating the same with a composition comprising a petroleum oil base, a protective agent soluble therein and a small amount of a penetration assistant comprising zinc naphthenate.

3-. The method of protecting wood from de- A .terioration which comprisestreating the same with a composition comprising a petroleum .oil base,=a protective agent soluble therein and a small amount of a penetration assistant comprising .zinc naphthenate.

.4. The method of waterproofing a cellulosic material which comprises treating the same with a composition comprising a petroleum oil base.

. an aluminum soap and a small amount of a penetration assistant comprising zinc naphthenate.

5. The method'of protecting a cellulosic material from deterioration which comprises treating the samewith a composition comprising a hydrocarbon oilbase, a protective agent soluble zinc naphthenate as a penetration assistant.

0.4% of zinc naphthenate.

s. The methodof protectingwood from deterioration which comprises treating thesame with a composition comprising a petroleum oil base, a protective agent soluble therein and about 0.1% to about 10% of zinc naphthenate as a penetration assistant.

7. In a process of treating-cellulosic materials.

with a protective composition having a hydrocarbonoil base, themethod. of increasing the rate of penetration of said protective composition into the said cellulosic materials which comprises incorporating a small amount of zinc naphthenate into the said protective composition prior to contacting the same with the cellulosic material. 4

8. A protective composition for cellulosic materials comprising a hydrocarbon oil base, a protective agent soluble therein and a small amount of a penetration assistant comprising zinc naphthenate.

9. A protective composition for cellulosic materials comprising a petroleum 011 base, a protective agent soluble therein and a small amount of a penetration assistant comprising zinc naphthenate.

10. A protective composition for cellulosic materials comprising a petroleum oil base, an aluminum soap and about 0.1% to about 10% of zinc naphthenate.

11; A protective composition for cellulosic materials comprising a spindle 01! having a viscosity of about 42 seconds Saybolt at 210 F.-containing dissolved therein about 0.2% to about 0.8% of aluminum naphthenate and about 0.1% to about 12. A protective composition for cellulosic materials comprising a petroleum oil base, a small amount of pentachlorophenoi as a protective agent and a small amount of zinc naphthenate as a penetration assistant.

13. A wood preservative comprising a fuel oil of'about 35 seconds viscosity Saybolt at 100 F. containing dissolved therein about 5% of pentachlorophenol and about 1% of zinc naphthenate.

14. A protective composition for cellulosic materials comprising a petroleum oil base, a small amount of copper naphthenate as aprotective agent and 'a' small amount of zinc naphthenate as a penetration assistant.

15. An insecticide comprising a mineral spirit of 100 F. minimum flash point containing dis-.

' solved therein about-1.5% toabout 2.7% of copper in the form of copper naphthenate and about 0.3% to about 1.5% of zinc in the form of zinc naphthenate.

16. A cellulosic material impregnated with a protective composition comprising a, hydrocarbon oil base, a protective agent dissolved therein and a small amount of a penetration assistant comprising zinc naphthenate.

17. A cellulosic material'impregnated with a protective composition comprising a petroleum oil base, a protective agent dissolved therein and about 0.1% to" about 10% of zinc naphthenate.

EDWIN R. LITI'MANN. 

